Italian destroyer Francesco Mimbelli (D 561)

	Francesco Mimbelli entering La Valletta, Malta on 17 May 2005.
History
Italy
Name	Francesco Mimbelli
Namesake	Francesco Mimbelli
Operator	Italian Navy
Builder	Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso shipyards
Laid down	15 November 1989
Launched	13 April 1991
Commissioned	18 October 1993
Identification	Callsign: IAFM; Pennant number: D 561;
Motto	Audendum est; (It is to be dared);
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Durand de la Penne-class destroyer
Displacement	- 4,500 t (4,400 long tons), standard; - 5.560 t (5.472 long tons), full load;
Length	147.7 m (485 ft)
Beam	16.1 m (53 ft)
Draught	5 m (16 ft)
Propulsion	- CODOG scheme:; - 2 × General Electric/Avio LM2500 gas turbines providing 41,000 kW (55,000 hp) ; - 2 × diesel engines Grandi Motori Trieste BL-230-20-DVM 9,396 kW (12,600 hp); - 6 x diesel engine generators Fincantieri DMD 203-6;
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range	7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	380
Sensors and ; processing systems	- 1 × SPS-52C 3D radar; - 1 × AESN MM/SPS-768 radar; - 1 × medium range AESN MM/SPS-774; - 1 × surface radar AMS MM/SPS-702; - 1 × navigation radar SMA MM/SPN-703; - 4 × AESN Orion RTN-30X (MM/SPG-76); - 1 × sonar system DE-1164/1167; - 1 × TACAN URN-25; - 1 × SADOC-2 combat system;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	- ECM system Elettronica SLQ-732 NETTUNO; - 2 x SAGEM Sagaie decoy launching system; - ASW AN/SLQ-25 Nixie, Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) System;
Armament	- 1 × Otobreda 127 mm gun; - 3 × Oto Melara 76/62 mm Super Rapido gun; - 1 × Albatross octuple launcher for Selenia Aspide SAM; - 1 × Mk 13 launcher with 40 Standard SM-1MR missiles; - 4 × OTOMAT Mk2 SSMs ; - 4 × Milas anti submarine missile; - 2 × 324 mm triple torpedo launchers WASS B515/3;
Aircraft carried	2 helicopters
Aviation facilities	double hangar

Francesco Mimbelli (D 561) is the second ship of the Durand de la Penne-class destroyer of the Italian Navy.

Development

The Durand de Le Penne-class are escort and combat class ships, able to operate in every combat condition, and especially devised to survive to heavy missile and aircraft attacks. Its construction is made almost totally with steel; the structure is a continuous deck with a low, large stern, to accommodate the helicopter force. The fore hull is very pointed, with a very pronounced sea-cutter structure. The superstructure consists of two blocks, relatively low and wide, both with a high, antenna mast with a triangular cross-section for all the electronic. The engines exhausts are in two groups, one for each superstructure: the aft has two exhausts flank to flank, slightly inclined. Then there is the Standard missile system and finally the helicopter facilities.^{[citation needed]}

Construction and career

She is laid down on 15 November 1989 and launched on 13 April 1991 by Fincantieri shipyards initially under the name Ardimentoso, named after the same torpedo boat which served during World War II. Commissioned on 18 October 1993 with the hull number D 561.^[1]

Francesco Mimbelli suffered a fire in one of the engine rooms, while it was underway, as part of Operation Safe Sea on 29 December 2019. The fire-fighting teams on board, specially trained to deal with these emergencies, intervened effectively, immediately securing the unit and extinguishing the fire, without any consequences or damage to the crew. The ship continued its navigation autonomously and is now heading towards the port of Augusta, for the necessary checks.^[2]

Gallery

USS Nimitz and Francesco Mimbelli alongside each other in the Mediterranean Sea on 26 October 2013.
USS Nimitz and Francesco Mimbelli alongside each other in the Mediterranean Sea on 26 October 2013.
USS Nimitz and Francesco Mimbelli alongside each other in the Mediterranean Sea on 26 October 2013.
Bow view of the forward main guns of Francesco Mimbelli on 14 September 2019.